Dauber having an internal compressed body



April 2l, 1964 G. scHwARTzMAN 3,129,452

DAUBER HAVING AN INTERNAL coMPREssED BODY Filed Dec. s, 1962 IN VEN TOR @465er .fvwwerz/Ma/ United States Patent O -Matic Corp., Yonkers, NX., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 241,862 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-566) This invention relates to a dauber especially adapted for use in applying shoe polish vor for applying cosmetics or medications on the shoes, clothing or on the person of the user. This application -is copending with the application, Serial No. 856,424, filed December l, 1959 for Dauben now Patent No. 3,084,375.

An object `of this invention resides in the provision of means for `facilitating the application of shoe polish or the like.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of novel valve means which are automatically actuated and adapted to control the ilow of shoe polish from a dauber for obtaining an even llow of shoe polish onto a shoe, independent of the contours or shape of the shoe and so -that fluid ow may be conveniently had onto the outer surface of the dauber for applying shoe polish into crevices, corners, and other spaces where access is diilicult.

ln the past daubers have been produced which are provided with applicator ends serving to `actuate mechanical valves. However, these prior art valve members normally have a surface area which is relatively small, and relatively hard pressing causing ridges to be formed on the material, even if leather, on which the shoe polish is being applied, and causing an uneven iiow of shoe polish with practically no shoe polish being applied at the point of contact between the dauber surface and the valve memer. It is, therefore, a :further object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art d-aubers, while providing better control of ilu-id ilow of the shoe polish being applied While yalso assuring that the shoe polish will be spread evenly along the entire surface being covered by the dauber.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision o-f a dauber which includes a novel compressed body disposed between the dauber cover and the valve member, which compressed body will transfer iiuid from the container to the cover and which will permit uid flow to other parts of the cover and into the space between the cover and the retainer ring.

Still further objects `and features of this invention reside in the provision of a dauber which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use, capable of metering iiuid of various viscosities, in an elfectve manner so that the dauber is especially adapted for use in applying shoe polish, medications, cosmetics, oils, polishes and the like, and which dauber may be made in any convenient size as desired.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this dauber, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the Iaccompanying drawings, by way of eX- ample only, wherein:

FIG. l is an exploded perspective view illustrating elements of the dauber in an in-i-tial stage of manufacture;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional Iview illustrating the dauber in a `further stage of manufacture and illustrating the manner in which the compressible member is inserted in its desired position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2 but illustrating the dauber in a further stage of manufacture;

F IG. 4 is a cross-sectional View of the pleted state; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating the dauber in use for application of shoe polish or the like.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 1i) is used to generally design-ate the dauber comprising the present invention. This dauber includes a container l2 in which Ia retaining -ning 14 is positioned. The retaining ring is designed to fit in the neck of the container l2 and includes a flange ld provided with a swaged lip 1S for retaining a disc 2li in position between the lip d8 and a rib 22 of circular coniiguration.

The disc l2i) is constructed of two layers, the upper layer 211 of which is formed of nylon knitted brushed fabric so Ias to achieve a felt-like applicator surface and appearance, while having the chemical inertness and strength of the nylon. Laminated and bonded to the nylon knitted brush fabric is the lower layer 23 of coarse polyurethane foam.

The retaining ring 14 is provided ywith a web 2d which has an arcuate tapered opening :28 the-rein which is of approximately one-half the diameter of the web 25. Cooperating with the arcuate tapered opening 28, which serves as a valve seat, is the conical surface 3d of a valve member, generally indicated at Z4. The valve member 2d includes a spring 32. formed in helical coils, the portion of smaller diameter being secured or integrally formed at 34 with the truncated conically-shaped valve head 35. The lower end 38 of the spring 32 is held in place on the projecting portion 4@ of the retaining ring 14 by the swaged end '412 of the projecting portion 4d. The swaged end 42 thus retains the valve member 24 within the retaining ring i4 with the spning 32 in a continuously stressed condition under compression so that the valve head 36 is continuously urged into and through the opening t28 for the purpose of closing the opening and preventing `tiuid ow from the container l2 into the space between the web 25 of the retaining ring i4 and the cover 2li.

Disposed between the valve head 36 and the cover 2t!l is `a cylindrical body Sil of coarse polyurethane foam which is continuously compressed `and serves to bulge the cover 2@ in a convex manner. The valve head 36 is continuously biased into engagement with the compressed body Sti further squeezing the body. However, as shown in `FIG. 5, when the applicator is used for applying shoe polish or yother iluids, the `cover 2@ is depressed, forcing the compressed body 5d slightly into the opening 28 and opening the valve by depressing the valve head to permit passage of fluid in a direction indicated by arrows A, FIG. 5, whereby Huid will not only saturate the polyurethane foam body Si) but will pass into the space 52 and will saturate the cover 2li'. Since the inner or lower layer 22 is of a polyurethane foam, it will absorb and retain sutiioient fluid so 'that the dauber will be 4able to provide a uniform coating of shoe polish on .the surface being treated.

This dauber is assembled in a novel manner. As can be readily understood, it is possible to seal the cover 20 in place after the cylindrical body has been positioned on the web 26. However, this method has proved to be unsatisfactory because then the cover 20 is generally not stretched quite taut enough for satisfactory and optimum results and, therefore, in carrying out the invention the cover 2li is first secured in place by pulling it q-ulte taut and swaging at 18 the end of the flange i6 thereover, as shown in FiG. 2. Thereafter, using a suitable tool 80,

dauber in a comthe compressible coarse polyurethane foam cylindrical body 5d is forced through the tapered opening 2S and into the space between the `web 26 and the cover 2t? with the body 5t) always under compression. Thereafter, the valve member 24 is positioned in place so that the valve head 3'5 extends into yand through the opening 28 and the end 42 of the projecting portion 4t) is then swaged over the enlarged end 3S of the valve member 24. This locks the valve member 24 in place and maintains the spring 32 continuously under compression.

One of the great `advantages of this invention is that the compressed body 50 provides in continuous contact with the cover a source of uid and will absorb all the excess uid in the space 52 which remains there after the valve member 24 has moved to its valve closed position thereby preventing leaking or spilling of fluid out of and beyond the cover 20.

Depending mainly upon the size of the compressed body 5G, the cover 2t) may be stretched to assume various shapes. It has been found that for application of shoe polish, -a hemispherical shape is preferred because otherwise hard to reach places can be easily `given an adequate coating of `shoe polish.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, Aand in some instances some `features o .the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit `and scope of the invention herein.

I claim:

1. A dau-ber comprising a duid container having a neck terminating in `an open end, a retainer ring having a retaining flange and having a projecting portion fitted in said neck, a resilient ltwo ply cover of laminated nylon knitted brushed fabric and coarse polyurethane foam secured -to said ring by said ilange outwardly of said container, said ring having a tapered opening therein forming a valve seat, a valve member movable with respect to said Valve seat to control fluid ow through said opening Ifrom said container to said cover, said valve member including a helical coil spring secured to said projecting portion and -a conical valve head extending into said opening and adapted to extend through said opening, and a resilient cylindrical porous body of polyurethane foam disposed in the space between said cover and said ring through said opening from therebelow with said body being continuously under compression, said body when not compressed being of such dimens-ions that said body is thicker than the space between said cover and said ring, said body having a diameter substantially greater than said opening, said spring means pressing said valve head `against said body, said body being deformable so that said cover may be depressed urging a portion of said body toward said opening to depress said valve head away from said valve seat against the force exerted by said spring means.

2. A method of yforming a dauber comprising the steps of attaching a resilient porous cover on a retainer ring having a retaining ange land having a projecting portion by swaging said ange to lock said cover ac-ross said ring, said .ning having an `opening therein, inserting a porous resilient body having an initial dimension of `greater thickness than the space between said cover and said ring and having a diameter substantial-ly `greater than that of said opening between said cover and said ring through said opening in said ring so that said body is under compression, then inserting a valve member into said projecting portion so that the head thereof extends into said opening, and then swaging the end of said projecting portion to lhol-d said valve member against said body with said body continuously under compression.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,723,516 Kositchek Aug. 6, `1929 2,853,728 Nadai Sept. 20, 1958 3,084,375 Schwartzman Apr. 9, 19613 FOREIGN PATENTS 213,755 Switzerland Mar. A15, 1941 

1. A DAUBER COMPRISING A FLUID CONTAINER HAVING A NECK TERMINATING IN AN OPEN END, A RETAINER RING HAVING A RETAINING FLANGE AND HAVING A PROJECTING PORTION FITTED IN SAID NECK, A RESILIENT TWO PLY COVER OF LAMINATED NYLON KNITTED BRUSHED FABRIC AND COARSE POLYURETHANE FOAM SECURED TO SAID RING BY SAID FLANGE OUTWARDLY OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID RING HAVING A TAPERED OPENING THEREIN FORMING A VALVE SEAT, A VALVE MEMBER MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID VALVE SEAT TO CONTROL FLUID FLOW THROUGH SAID OPENING FROM SAID CONTAINER TO SAID COVER, SAID VALVE MEMBER INCLUDING A HELICAL COIL SPRING SECURED TO SAID PROJECTING PORTION AND A CONICAL VALVE HEAD EXTENDING INTO SAID OPENING AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH SAID OPENING, AND A RESILIENT CYLINDRICAL POROUS BODY OF POLYURETHANE FOAM DISPOSED IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID COVER AND SAID RING THROUGH SAID OPENING FROM THEREBELOW WITH SAID BODY BEING CONTINUOUSLY UNDER COMPRESSION, SAID BODY WHEN NOT COMPRESSED BEING OF SUCH DIMENSIONS THAT SAID BODY IS THICKER THAN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID COVER AND SAID RING, SAID BODY HAVING A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN SAID OPENING, SAID SPRING MEANS PRESSING SAID VALVE HEAD AGAINST SAID BODY, SAID BODY BEING DEFORMABLE SO THAT SAID COVER MAY BE DEPRESSED URGING A PORTION OF SAID BODY TOWARD SAID OPENING TO DEPRESS SAID VALVE HEAD AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT AGAINST THE FORCE EXERTED BY SAID SPRING MEANS. 